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We pick up our story after the martyrdom of St. Stephan. The Sanhedrin had taken advantage of a momentary lapse of Rome rule at the death of the Roman Emperor Tiberius. They could now be the rulers of Israel while Rome was leaderless.
Terror had fallen on the Christians. Many Christians started to leave Jerusalem, because of this. One of the Greek speaking Jewish deacons ordained in Jerusalem was Nicholas. He was from the city of Antioch. So it makes sense that he returned to Antioch and spread the Gospel there.
Philip, another deacon (not to be confused with the Apostle of the same name) also ordained with Nicholas, went to Samaria. He made many converts there, because the Samaritans remembered when Jesus himself had come and preached. Unfortunately there was one he baptized, called Simon Magus, who didn't seek salvation-- but the power to work miracles. He was very disappointed when he didn't receive this power --like other Christians had.
Like Judas before him, Simon didn't get the true message of Christ, it wasn't about power, but salvation.
He would be rebuked by St. Peter himself after trying to buy this power from him. Peter saying " your heart is not right with God." Simon Magus would be the precursor to the heresy a century later called Gnosticism. (cf. Acts 8)
Philip, after evangelizing Samaria, headed for the coast to what is now called Palestine. On the way, he met an Ethiopian eunuch. There were Jews even in Ethiopia and this Eunuch may have been one of them. He was baptized by Philip; who moved on to Joppa in Palestine.
Ethiopia wouldn't be evangelized completely until 300 years later.
But they had some knowledge of the cross after so many years, even though they had forgotten its meaning. Maybe this Eunuch did what he could when he returned. Tradition tells us St. Matthew, the Apostle, made it to Ethiopia too.
As St. Peter followed deacon Philip to Samaria to confirm his converts there; he proceeded to trail Philip to Palestine to do the same at Joppa. This is about the year 39 AD. St. Peter amazed the locals of Joppa by raising the widow Tabitha from the dead. (cf. Acts 9:36-43)
Soon after this, a centurion of the Roman Army, who was pious and attracted to high moral virtues of Judaism, was at prayer and an angel appeared to him and told him to send for a man called Peter-- in the town of Joppa.
Probably close to this time, St. Peter was at prayer and had a vision. He was told 3X to eat non-kosher food, which would make him unclean, by Mosaic Law. St. Peter refused. But a voice said :
" What God has cleansed you must not call un-clean." God was saying the old Mosaic law was finished and Christians were returning to the time of Noah or Abraham-- when there were no kosher laws. (cf. Acts 10)
Soon after this, the servants of the Centurion, Cornelius of Caesarea, arrived, and asked for St. Peter. Peter decided to go to Caesarea, with 6, probably very confused, Jewish Christians.
He entered the house and ate and talked with Cornelius and his household, which was forbidden by Jewish law.
Once Cornelius' household understood Christianity, the Holy Spirit descended upon them in tongues of fire, just like at Pentecost.
From the vision, the intervention of an angel, and this sign of the Holy Spirit --- Peter was convinced that Christianity was not just for Jews, but also for the Gentiles. St. Peter baptized them all.
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It can't be stressed enough how monumental this action was. This was shocking to Jewish Christians. Peter explained what happened, and most of them rejoiced...but not all. This issue will appear again.
News of the acceptance of the Gentiles must have soon reached Antioch, because at this same time, they met with much success in evangelizing the Gentiles in Antioch. The success was so great that, like in Samaria, St. Peter headed for Antioch to confirm the new believers, after meeting St. Paul in Jerusalem.
Meanwhile in Rome, the replacement of the Emperor Tiberius was already given power in 37 AD--- a man named Gaius the adoptive son of Tiberius . Like most young leaders, he became drunk on power.
Gaius is better known by his infamous name of Caligula (a name he hated, which means roughly "Booties") He was an immoral man. He considered himself a god, and ordered that a statue of himself, Caligula, must be built in the Jewish temple.
These orders were dreaded by the Roman soldiers in Israel, because they knew it would only lead to riots. They delayed implementing it. Caligula was repealing the law by Julius Caesar, which allowed the Jews freedom of worship ---without interference by Rome.
Caligula's reign soon ended in January 41 AD ruling for about 4 years. He was killed by his Praetorian Guard--his royal security. He was replaced by a scholar ---Claudius; Claudius was thought to be a weak man, but was not such a bad emperor, except that He allowed Herod's son, Herod Agrippa, as king of all of Judea and Samaria. Herod used his power to persecute Christians to win favor with the Jewish Sanhedrin.
We will see next how Herod Agrippa, like his grandfather, the Herod during the birth of Christ, causes Christians to flee for their lives. Spilling innocent blood and the first Apostle to be martyred.
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